“Tired, do you say?” cried Euphronia. “If you had been to the ball, child, I’ll warrant you would be less sleepy than you are. But there,” she continued with a scornful sniff, “what can one expect a kitchen-wench to know of the doings of high life!”
“I suppose it was very wonderful!” said Cinderella humbly.
“Yes, indeed,” said Charlotte. “There came to the ball the most beautiful Princess that ever was seen, and she paid us great attentions, I can tell you. She talked to us for the greater part of the evening, and even sat opposite to us at supper and gave us oranges and citrons.”
“Do tell me about her,” said Cinderella, in great delight. “What was her name, and how was she dressed?”
“That is the strange part of it,” said Charlotte.
“Nobody knew who she was or whence she came, though it was plain to see that she was a very grand Princess. The King’s son was very puzzled about it, and we heard him say, after she had gone, that he would give all he had in the world to know her name. As for her dress, I cannot even begin to describe it. It was just a little bit too plain and lacking in colour for my taste, but the material was certainly most costly, and the fashion highly original!”
“Oh dear!” sighed Cinderella. “I do wish that I could see her! Will you not let me go with you tomorrow night? I could wear that yellow dress of Euphronia’s if she would lend it to me.”
“What!” screamed Euphronia. “I never heard
